ACT 3: POWER RANGERS The Boy Within
by noctorro
Summary: This old school Power Rangers story tells of a young boy that befriends Adam Park, his unfortunate past, the mysterious power within him, and his connections to Lord Zedd, Rita, and the Machine Empire ...
1. Introduction

                This fanfiction focuses on the earlier days of the Power Rangers. Specifically, it takes place during the Power Rangers Zeo era, with a lot of aspects re-introduced from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers era. 

                I am freakishly old now, but when I was twelve years old, the Power Rangers series had reached their peak popularity and though I was a faithful fan of the series until the end of Power Rangers in Space. I might get egged for this, but I despised Lost Galaxy, Lightspeed Rescue, Ninja Storm, and Wild Force. Although Time Force was alright, I guess.

                This fanfic was written and completed when I was thirteen years old.  Currently, it is under the process of MAJOR revision, and it is the re-written chapters that I will be posting on ff.net. If readers are at all interested in the original version of this fanfic, you will be able to find it by going to 

That being said, I hope you will enjoy this story, and please leave a review or two once in awhile. I'd like to know how my story is being perceived. Feel free to ask questions, criticize and hey, compliments would be nice too. 

- noctorro 


	2. Chapter 1: Beginning of a Friendship

Adam Park stared blankly at the blindingly white pages that met his vision, forcing his mind to absorb the material that the black in contained. He mumbled softly to himself. 

"The Pythagorean theory states that …" he brought a pencil to his lip and unconsciously began chewing on the bitter, powdery pink eraser with his incisor teeth, frowning at the bitter taste his saliva brought to his tongue. "So if A squared plus B squared equals C squared … and C is equal to 81 centimeters in length …"

He bitterly threw his pencil down onto the vile math textbook. Adam leaned backwards, against the backrest of his chair that was intended for its user to be in a proper, upright position at all times. He gazed around at his surroundings - the Youth Center. He tried to get his eyes focused on the brightly colored walls, but after staring at the textbook's white pages for hours on end, it was hard for his brain to comprehend any other form of color at this point. 

His ears perked up, hearing footsteps approaching from the adjacent hallway to the giant room in which he sat studying. A large frame filled the doorway and in stepped a young man, roughly around his age. The youth had short dark chestnut colored hair, cut close to his head. He seemed like a powerful individual, walking with his chest, slightly covered by a red tank top underneath a brown football uniform jacket, large arms swaying slightly by his sides. 

"I thought I'd find you here, Adam," the young man said. 

"Jason," Adam replied, nodding his head in recognition of his friend, "it's good to see you here."

"Is math getting the better of you?" asked jokingly, briefly analyzing the textbook that sat in front of Adam's tired form. 

"A little too much," Adam admitted, closing the text. He picked up the heavy book with one hand, grabbing blindly under the table for a green backpack. "Ms. Appleby decided to give us a test this Friday. I've been too caught up with all this Power Ranger business to keep up with my studies. Man, we should really be getting paid for all the crap we put up with." 

"Hey," Jason laughed, slapping Adam's back slightly, "aren't Asian dudes supposed to like Math?"

Adam rolled his eyes in response. "I'm only half Asian."

"And that means you only study for half as long as the typical Asian does, huh? It's still early – three o'clock. I figured you'd be here at least until five tonight."

"Not on Wednesdays, buddy. I have final period off every Wednesday so I usually come here, get some work done and take off a little earlier than I usually do."

"So you getting a little stressed out with Power Ranger duties?"

Adam sighed, running his fingers through his frazzled mop of fine black hair. He didn't want to act like he didn't appreciate being a Power Ranger. On the contrary, he was honored to have been chosen to be one in the first place. But sometimes, the stress of saving the world would catch up with him. Leading a double life as one fifth of Earth's greatest heroes, and as a regular high school kid took a lot out of a seventeen year old. But it wasn't surprising that he was chosen, in fact. 

Adam was, although his small, thin frame and childish face might suggest the opposite, a vicious fighter. Having trained in the Korean martial arts since he was a child, he could open a can of whoop-ass against anybody, even someone who easily outsized him like his friend Jason. But Adam would never lay a finger on Jason, being very well aware and respectful of the fact that he too was not only an experienced fighter, but possessed incredible strength in the battlefield. 

Jason was one of the five original Power Rangers when they were first established three years ago, serving as the team's leader before leaving the organization for good for a peace conference held in Switzerland. Jason's sudden return to the group after so long was a pleasant surprise, though he had shed his once vibrant red costume for a darker, more gothic black one. His experience as a Power Ranger was something that Adam had looked up to, and he didn't want to seem ungrateful, especially in front of a veteran Ranger like Jason. 

"I'm getting a little tired," Adam said, "physically, I mean. I haven't got much sleep the past couple of nights. I barely made it through the last quiz in Mrs. Appleby's class and now she decides to spring a test on me." He let his head fall, hitting the surface of the table with a thud."

"Don't worry about it, man," Jason said, placing his supportive hand on Adam's shoulder. "Just go home early and get a good rest. You've got a full day to study tomorrow."

"Oh shit!" Adam cried, shooting straight back up into a sitting position. "What time did you say it was just now?"

Jason's eyes darted back and forth in their sockets in confusion. "It's … uh … three o'clock."

"Damn it! I'm going to be late!" Adam reached under the table and snatched his bag off the ground, slinging one strap on his shoulder with one fluid motion. He began walking quickly towards the exit, the same way Jason entered from.

"Hold on, where are you going so quickly, man?" Jason asked, scratching his head. 

"I'm going to be late for my orientation if I don't get out of here right now!" Adam turned right and walked into the hallway, disappearing from view, though his frantic footsteps echoed throughout the building. 

"Orientation for what?!" Jason called. 

"Babysitting!" Adam's reply was faint, indicating that the lightly built teenager had covered a lot of ground in that short amount of time. Jason was impressed. But why in the world would Adam, of all people, decide to baby-sit!?   
  


                                                                *                *                *

There was screaming everywhere. It seemed to bounce off the walls of the white room before infiltrating his ears and stabbing his brain with it's high pitched sound. Adam nervously looked around the waiting room before deciding to approach the receptionist, a nice looking lady with curly brown hair reaching down to her shoulders and thick-framed glasses. 

"Uh …" he cleared his throat, "Excuse me."

The lady looked up, beyond the rim of her glasses and smiled. "How may I help you, sir?" 

"I'm looking for the coordinator of the volunteer experience program," he replied politely. "Today is my orientation day."

The lady nodded and smiled nervously. "Yes, you are Adam Park, is it?"

"That's right."

"I'm terribly sorry, but the coordinator is running a little late today. Until she shows up, we have a temporary replacement for her to show you around. Would you care to meet him now?"

"Sure."

The receptionist stood up from her desk, revealing a curvaceous body hugged tightly by a professional business suit top, and a matching knee length skirt. As she walked around the counter and towards the back room where all the screaming emitted from, her black suede high heel shoes clicked against the luminous white tile floor. "He'll be out in a moment," she said, before disappearing around a double swinging door.

"Ahh!" This scream sounded closer this time, and not a moment too soon, the swinging doors opened again, outward this time as a frantic looking kid came dashing through. He wore baggy jeans and a black T-shirt that had been twisted uncomfortably around his torso and was ripped in several places. His sneakers were worn out and caked with dirt. When Adam took a second look, he realized the dirt was also smudged on the kid's face and arms. The poor trooper looked very exhausted, panting as he slowed from a terrified dash to a jog, and finally down to a slow walk. Grapping the closest chair in the waiting room, he let his body sink into the comfortable leather and took a deep breath.

"Are you … okay?" Adam asked, unsure of what to do at this point as he slowly approached the beaten kid. 

"I'll be fine," the boy responded, raising a hand signaling for Adam to stop where he was. "Those fucking brats are gonna be the end of me."

Adam cocked an eyebrow. For someone so young, he had already developed a foul mouth. "I'm supposed to be meeting the coordinator so I can be showed the ropes."

"Yeah she's running a little late so I'm her replacement for now," the boy explained, extending his hand towards Adam. "My name is Kenneth Feng, but you can just call me Kenny. Are you the volunteer that was supposed to be coming today?" 

Adam nodded his head. "Oh, I'm Adam Park," he said, shaking the kid's hand. "It looks like we are going to be working together. Um, just out of curiosity, how old are you, exactly? I was always under the impression you had to be a little older and more experienced to baby-sit …"

"First of all," Kenny snapped, "this isn't babysitting, this is supposed to be youth work. But it just so happens that lazy parents love to drop off their devil spawn here, thinking its some kind of daycare. And second, what exactly do you mean, 'older and more experienced'?"

"Well I didn't mean it like that, but I just thought you were a little … um … young, is all."

"Alright buddy," Kenny said grinning, "just for that, you can forget about the orientation. I'm gonna throw you dead smack into the middle of work."

Four hours later, the pair emerged from the same pair of swinging doors, this time Adam looking just as beat up as his younger co-worker. His once green T-shirt was stained in various places. Blotches of baby milk gave it a darker green where it stained, and baby powder gave it a white glow. His face was bruised from the more violent babies who seemed to be contained sitting in filthy diapers all day long. 

The main door that led into the reception room opened to reveal a very familiar face walking through. 

"Mrs. Appleby!" Adam exclaimed. 

A large smile spread on the rotund woman's face, as she approached the teenager. "It's so good to see you devoting your time to the children," she said. "I never expected to see you here. I'm sorry, I would've been here sooner if it weren't for that horrid traffic accident on the road. I see you've already met Kenny."

"Hold on," Adam said, "are you the coordinator of this joint?"

"Yes," Mrs. Appleby replied. "It's strictly volunteer work of course, but after six hours of dealing with prepubescent, hormonal teenagers all day, this is a good change of pace for me. Not that I don't love my children at school." She smiled wider this time. "How was Adam's first day?" 

"Not too bad," Kenny said. "He seemed to pick things up pretty quickly."

"A good job, for the both of you," she commented. "I'm very pleased with today. I suppose after all this screaming, you would both like to go home." They both nodded their heads. 

                                                                *                *                *

The sun was already beginning to set as they stepped outside the building. The cool evening air blew against the both of them, causing their skin to sprout goose bumps. 

"How do you plan on getting home?" Adam asked. 

"I'm just going to walk it," Kenny replied. 

"You need a ride?" 

"Uh …" Kenny stumbled for a moment unsure of what to say. "I don't wanna have to bother you …"

"It's no bother at all," Adam said, motioning for Kenny to follow. "Come on." Kenny reluctantly followed, getting the feeling that this wasn't the best decision in the world. 

They jumped into an army green jeep. Adam looked over at Kenny whose face wore a mask of concern. "Is everything alright?" he asked. 

"Yeah, it's all good," Kenny said. "I appreciate you doing this for me."

"Just as long as you don't live too far off, like in Stone Canyon or something," Adam joked as he stuck the keys into the ignition. With a simple turn of the wrist, the jeep's formidable engine roared to life, and the two of them pulled quickly out of the parking lot. 

The wind continued blowing, stronger this time due to the lack of a roof on the jeep. Kenny wrapped his arms around his body, hoping to provide some warmth.

"There's a blanket in the back seat, if you want it," Adam offered. 

"Sure, thanks." Kenny reached behind and pulled the wool blanket to the front, wrapping it around his shoulders and covering his legs. "What are you doing with a blanket in your jeep, anyway?"

"Uh hah!" Adam laughed nervously. "Tanya and I like to go out sometimes and look at the stars."

"Tanya?" Kenny asked curiously. "Or is it none of my business?"

"She's my unofficial girlfriend," Adam replied shyly. "We've been kinda dating for awhile now, but we haven't really taken it that far yet."

"Is she cute?"

"Well, yeah."

"Then what are you waiting for?!" Kenny exclaimed. 

"Until we're both ready, I guess."

"Alright, I think I've stuck my nose where it doesn't belong enough already," Kenny said, chuckling. "New topic. Why did you decide to start volunteering at the youth council center?

"Well," Adam explained, "I was finding something that I could earn money with. I did not realize that this was a volunteer job until my teacher told me that I wasn't going to be paid. What about you? Why did you start volunteering here?"

"Well …" Kenny was unsure how to put his story into words. "You know how you said I was a little young, right?"

"Yeah, I was wondering about that."

"We typically council youth that are my age at that place. Theoretically, I wouldn't know where to begin counseling somebody my age cause we're in the same part of our lives. But the thing is …"

"Uh huh, I'm listening."

"I've always had a different kind of life."

"Well, what kind of life did you have?" 

"The homeless kind."

Adam wanted to slap himself for being so stupid. That's why Kenny was so uneasy about being driven home. He didn't have a home! "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't know …"

"That's fine," Kenny replied. "I don't want any sympathy or anything."

"So where were you planning on having me drive you?"

"There's a bridge about a block north of 7th avenue and Main Street. I live there with other homeless folks too. What I do at the youth counseling center isn't really volunteer work. They give me some money for my services. Not enough to buy a house, but enough to get food, some clothes, and the occasional shower at the detoxication facility nearby. Life isn't really so bad though. It used to be worse when I was a lot younger. I'd compete with the older kids for food and other stuff. They'd always win, you know, being bigger and stronger. Sometimes they made fun of me, taunted me with scraps of food that they dug out of garbage cans. But after landing this position at the youth counseling joint, things began to get better. Mrs. Appleby actually decided to give me a chance and talk with the superiors. She somehow managed to convince them to give me the job. I'll always be thankful for that. Those shithead bullies I used to compete with are probably still starving somewhere …"

"People used to make fun of me too," Adam said. "I was short and was never respected because of my small size. But martial arts strengthened my confidence and now I am just like anybody else." Kenny nodded his head looking sad. "Don't worry. Things will get better for you. You're just starting to live like normal people. It's gonna take a little getting used to."


	3. Chapter 2: The Machine Empire

"I am Lord Zedd, ruler of all that lies before you." The once proud, self proclaimed ruler recalled the line he'd recited upon his arrival to the planet earth two years ago. He looked back fondly over the time he once had an army at his command – an army of clay made warriors known as Putties, brought to life by one of his many talented sorcerers, Finster.

Lord Zedd had a palace erected on the airless surface of the moon in his name, a palace with a magnificent view – Earth. The bright blue planet could be seen brightly from his throne room, which he spared no expense in decorating it with the most gothic of styles. Rows of gargoyles perched on pillars carved in a grotesque mix of Roman and Gothic influence gazed down with dead eyes at anyone who dared approach his domain. Any trespasser who dared to brave the condemning sight would be greeted with a congregation of putties, who would waste no time in tearing him limb from limb. And that was Zedd's version of showing mercy. Should one have been unfortunate enough to be brought to Zedd in person, his soul would suffer for all eternity in Zedd's rank as one of his mindless monsters.

Sorceress Rita Repulsa once served a minor role in Lord Zedd's mighty empire. Ten thousand years ago, she was appointed with the task of capturing the Earth and its people all in Zedd's name. The defender of Earth at the time, a powerful warrior by the name of Zordon managed to thwart Rita's plans and imprison her in a dumpster, no bigger than a flower vase, where she remained for most of that ten thousand year time period. Earth knew nothing but peace after that. But the peace was not to last.

Rita was freed accidentally by a group of unwary astronauts on one of Earth's historical treks to the moon. The evil sorceress wasted no time in continuing her pursuit of Earth, but once again met with failure. Upon his arrival on the moon where Rita and her forces were established, Zedd was displeased with her continuing attempts to accomplish her one simple task with repeated failures. Rita was banished into the recesses of outer space in the very dumpster she was freed from … until she made her comeback and seduced Zedd into marrying with her with a simple love potion.

Together, they were a formidable force against the Power Rangers – sworn defenders of Earth drawing their power from the mighty dinosaurs – appointed by Zordon himself. Yet, even as a team, Rita and Lord Zedd failed to accomplish the simple task of capturing the Earth by having constantly underestimated the might of the Power Rangers. Their time in power was cut short by the Machine Empire, a rival Empire that based their military and social might on technology. Times were changing. Magic and sorcery had to give way to technology. Zedd and Rita's fate followed the changing times, as they were cast out of their palace, condemned to roam the surface of the moon in little more than a trailer they had nabbed from modern Earth.

The Machine Empire was now in charge.

"I really hate it when you reminisce like that!" Rita screeched from her seat at the back of the trailer. She glanced out the window, watching miles of gray rock pass them by. The landscape of the moon was barren. Not a single sign of life in sight – just mounds upon mounds of dirt set upon a beautiful backdrop of stars. "I've tried to leave that life behind, but every time you bring up our godforsaken palace, it sends me into convulsions." Rita cracked her knuckles in frustration, wincing in pain as she realized her ring-adorned fingers were too old and fragile. She sighed. "We're just not what we used to be."

Through the ruby-tinged visor on his skinless face, Lord Zedd glanced in the rear-view mirror from the driver's seat at his wife, pouting like a child in a large red dress that covered her entire body. Zedd hissed with disapproval at her. Rita's gray hair, done up in a pair of magnificent cones reminded him of devil horns. And they didn't seem too out of place with Rita's demeanor. He found himself stifling a snort.

"What the hell is so funny?!" Rita shouted.

"Ahem, nothing," Zedd replied, clearing his throat. "I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what?! Another plan to conquer the Machine Empire _and _Earth that will most likely end up in failure like all of you other stupid plans?!" Zedd gripped the steering wheel tighter. If he hadn't known Rita better, he would've sworn she was a native Earth woman going through another reproduction cycle.

"No," he said through clenched teeth, "I was merely wondering about Kenny's success back on Earth."

"Ah, praise that boy," Rita said, calming down. "He's so good natured – it makes me sick. But at least he's willing to help us out. How long more till we get there? Kenny's probably already waiting for us somewhere in the Sea of Tranquility!"

"We're there already!"

"Then stop driving!"

"Argh!"

Kenny's form started out as a mere speck in the distance that gradually grew in size as they approached. Zedd put the trailer into park as he scampered out with Rita, getting ready to be briefed on Kenny's accomplishments.

The Earth boy looked at the demonic pair and once again found his stomach turning with disgust. Lord Zedd was a foul creature, looking like a human that had been skinned alive. His body was composed of raw muscle held together by an exoskeleton of metallic rods. Rita had extremely bad taste when it came to jewelry with giant rings clamped onto all eight of her bony fingers, and large necklaces around her neck. The most hilarious part of her attire was the cone shaped bra that reminded him of Madonna's 80's wear.

"So, child," Rita began, "how have your efforts on Earth been progressing?"

Kenny shrugged. "I'm not sure what to say," he replied hesitantly. "I've only met Adam, the Green Zeo Ranger, and he seems like a pretty nice guy. I don't understand why you have such a grudge against …"

"Do you have any idea how many headaches I've endured because of the Power Rangers?!" Rita interrupted. "They might seem like nice people, I can confess that much. But all their interested in is keeping the Earth to themselves and all of its resources!"

"Well," Kenny began, "you're the one that wants to enslave the planet."

"What a choice of words!" Zedd chimed in, faking his niceness. "We are merely trying to get Earth to join our empire for its own good, and ours!"

"And we have every right to not want to have to do with anything involving you," Kenny snapped. "Look, I'm only helping you out because I believe that you have what it takes to get my life back on track. I'm sick of eating out of trashcans, and living the life of a hobo. I'm keeping my end of the deal and I expect you to keep yours."

"And I reassure you," Zedd continued, "that after Earth has joined our cause, we will overthrow the Machine Empire together and you will live like a king as one of my top advisors. You have absolutely nothing to lose."

"Although I am curious," Rita said. "Most of the Earth people react with horror whenever they lay eyes on creatures like us. What exactly makes you different?"

"Ma'am, I've seen _a lot _of things in my life. Enough to condition me to the fact that anything is possible. Let's just say that it's hard to surprise me anymore." Rita cocked a suspicious brow at the boy. How, at such a young age, could he have possibly seen as much as he claimed? But actions speak louder than words and he surely wasn't intimidated by their mere appearances at all – which was extremely odd for an Earth person. Perhaps he was telling the truth …

"I need you to get back to Earth," Zedd instructed. "And I want you to earn the Power Ranger's trust. There are five in all and …"

"Yes, you've briefed me before," Kenny said, waving Zedd off. "I know who they are exactly. But …"

"But what?"

"Do I really have to destroy the Rangers? I can see where they stand on this issue against you, and they've done nothing but good for the Earth. It just doesn't feel right."

"The Power Rangers defend a planet that has continually tortured you," Zedd reminded him. "They protect a society that has robbed you of your home and your loved ones. Why would you want to defend something that has taken so much from you, without contributing anything back?" Kenny was speechless. Zedd had a point. Taking note of the boy's silence, he continued. "And that's exactly what I mean, my child. Show Earth no mercy. They don't deserve it. Now get back there. Our mission commences at once."

"Dear, I believe Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa are up to something again," Queen Machina said drearily. She stood in the throne room of the Machine Empire Palace, one that sported a large balcony that overlooked the Earth. One could almost say that they had taken the architecture straight from Zedd's own castle. Machina was a fine Queen, dressed in a long yellow robe that covered her metallic body. In her hand, she held a folding fan but rarely ever used it for its practical purpose, settling just for the image enhancement it gave her.

"What are they up to this time?" King Mondo, Machina's android husband called back from further inside the room. Large machine cogs decorated the walls, constantly turning, implying that the Machine Empire Palace itself was some kind of machine.

From the balcony on which Machina walked over to, her eyes met with the sights of the Empire's airships that looked vaguely like flying squid, crossing the airspace above their Moon establishment. "They seem to have allied themselves with an Earth boy."

Mondo, a blue, rotund android, placed his chubby metallic hands on his belly and let out a hearty laugh. A spinning cog on his head that one could only guess served as a crown, spun faster with his emotional outcry. "The pair of them are more pathetic than I thought! Not only do they ally themselves with the weak earthlings, but one of their children?!"

"Dear," Machina added, "if I may remind you, we can't seem to get a firm grip on the Earth either. So who are you to suggest that the earthlings are weak?"

"We would have the Earth by now if Clank's plans weren't always so predictable!" Mondo roared.

"Lay off of Clank," Machina said in their servant's defense, waving her fan in Mondo's general direction. "Perhaps if you weren't always so quick to approve his plans before thinking them over …"

"I certainly hope you're not suggesting that I am somehow responsible for our failures!" Mondo interrupted.

"We have nobody to blame but ourselves," Machina continued, "but I do believe that we have the resources to defeat the Power Rangers."

"So, Rita and Zedd are up to something …" Mondo said, putting a hand to his chin. "However pathetic it may look, allying themselves with an Earth boy, I don't like it. It's as if they're putting on some kind of … act … to fool us. Well I'm not falling for anything. I don't want to take any risks."

"What are you suggesting we do, my dear?" Machina asked curiously.

"I want Gasket and Archerina to nab that boy and question him. He might be able to tell us what's going on …"

"Gasket!" Queen Machina gasped. "My dear, you can't be serious! After all, he's exhausted after battling the Power Rangers time and again, sacrificing his abilities without any results. Please, Mondo, you must start thinking less of him as a soldier, and more of him as our son!"

"What other useful warrior do we have around here?!" Mondo roared. "Do you want me to send Sprocket in his place?"

"Sprocket is too young," Machina sighed. "And I'm not sure if he has the battle spirit of his older brother …"

"Exactly, my dear. There is nobody else that can do the job than Gasket – should the Power Rangers get in the way, which they always manage to somehow."

"So," Adam asked, "What do you like to eat?"

"I … don't really know," he said, unfamiliar with the plethora of choices that faced him at that moment. Having eaten out of garbage cans for as long as he remembered, Kenny never really got to pick and choose what he wanted to feast on. His meals usually consisted of whatever someone had decided they didn't want – if he was lucky enough.

But since this was a rare opportunity for him, the chance that someone actually _offered _to buy him lunch, Kenny thought for a minute and then said "I'd like some pizza."

Adam chuckled. "No matter what walk of life they come from, teenagers will always be teenagers. Do you know of any good places around here?" Adam, being a fortunate uptown Angel Grove teen, was unfamiliar with the downtown scenario.

"There's a place called Luigi's Pizza Parlor," Kenny replied, pointing down the street. "It should be a couple of blocks that way. You'll see the big neon sign that looks like its about to fall off its perch. The joint would probably be a hole compared to what you're used to, but I swear they serve the best pizza in town."

"Oh? You've been?"

"Well … not exactly," came the sheepish reply. "I … I had to steal a slice once from an old lady."

"Oh …" Adam was at a loss for words. "You didn't hurt her, did you?"

"I tried not to but …" Kenny paused. "Do you think maybe we could drop it? It's not exactly something I feel very proud of."

"Yeah, no worries."

Adam parked the car across the street to the pizza parlor and gasped. Kenny wasn't lying when he said the place was a hole. The building had black stains on its brick walls. The flashing "Luigi's Pizza Parlor" sign, shining in neon pink and green, was blinking on and off, and the "R" looked like it was able to crash onto an unsuspecting passer-by down below.

Kenny noticed Adam's reluctance to step onto the building's property, but reassured him. "I'm telling you, once you have a slice of their meat lover's pizza, you'll never go anywhere else again."

The pair stepped into the parlor, the mouth-watering scent of pizza's in the oven drawing them closer and faster than they had intended to walk. Adam was surprised upon stepping inside to realize that there was an air conditioner at work. Save money by not bothering to refurbish an establishment and have enough money to make those who can look past the visual appeal comfortable. So, there they sat gorging themselves full with pizza when all of a sudden, a blast was heard.

His battle-hardened senses on full alert, Adam's ears perked up as he turned around to face the entrance of the pizza parlor. The explosion occurred outside, as he saw plumes of choking black smoke waft past the glass door.

"What in the world …?" Kenny asked as he got up from his seat to take a closer look. Buthis path was cut off by Adam's arm.

"Don't," Adam commanded. "Something's not right."

"Well yeah," Kenny replied, throwing his hands up in the air. "There was a fucking huge explosion outside. Of course something's not right!"

"I didn't mean …" but Adam stopped talking. How was Kenny supposed to understand that it could have been the Machine Empire responsible for this? They took a liking to attacking the earth – more specifically, Angel Grove City – at their leisure. Kenny could not be aware of Adam's involvement with the Power Rangers.

A pair of futuristic looking androids approached the glass door. One of them, with a curvaceous humanoid figure dressed in a pink suit, withdrew a wicked looking bow seemingly out of thin air. She drew the string and fired a bolt of energy, shaped convincingly like an arrow, right through the glass door.

The energy bolt must've hit a gas line because the second explosion that ensued was far larger than it should have been. Kenny and Adam ducked under the table, both of them suffering only minor burns.

The robot woman spoke. "What does this child look like, Gasket?" she asked with a sweet, sultry voice.

"He's a street kid," the masculine android replied. There was a set of three crystals on his head, probably the source of his energy. Adam had always suspected this when facing Gasket and Archerina in battle, but he was never able to test this theory. His body was composed of mostly green tinted metal, in contrast to the aluminum like material of his chest and abdomen. This metal was strong enough against the Rangers' energy weapons that they theorized that the metal the Machine Empire used to construct their warriors was not of the Earth. "He's got ruffled hair and worn out sneakers and sloppy clothes too. How hard can he be to pick out?"

"Kenny, get out of here now," Adam said, from under the table. He whispered quietly, more like mouthed his words. But Kenny understood.

"You're not coming?"

"You're small enough that you can crawl around the debris without them seeing you," Adam said. "I can't do the same. Just go, and I'll be right behind you after these two have left."

"But what if …"

"Just go!"

Kenny took his cue to leave and skittered away as quietly and quickly as he could. As Adam had predicted, Gasket and Archerina were too busy trying to see through the smoke. You'd think that whoever designed them would've been smart enough to give them some kind of infrared sensors – something that would not allow visual hindrance, especially from something as petty as smoke.

As soon as Adam confirmed that Kenny had escaped through the rubble successfully, he gave a quick shake of his wrists. Instantly, a pair of bracelets formed on his wrists, glowing with a green aura. "Alright," he said quietly to himself, "it's morphin' time."


	4. Chapter 3: Help on the Way

Kenny ran until he could not breathe. Beneath his body, his feet pounded at the ground, across a few patches of grass, carrying him through pavement, until his lungs screamed for a sufficient supply of oxygen and threw him down to the ground about two city blocks from Luigi's Pizza Parlor. He turned to look behind him for any signs that Adam was following – but the streets were instead filled with curious onlookers, staring suspiciously at him. But Kenny didn't steal anything this time. He just wanted to know if his new friend was okay. Guilt made its presence known in his conscience. Kenny had just run off, terrified from his life, leaving Adam to fend for himself against crazy cyborgs. How could he have done such a thing?

"Get a grip," he ordered himself. "Adam told me to leave. I was only listening to him." But then … why wasn't he feeling any better? Kenny didn't get the opportunity to ponder over his situation any longer as seemingly out of nowhere, strange figures materialized out of thin air. There was a whole group of these humanoid robots, probably a dozen or so. And they were the strangest thing he'd ever seen. They had the proportions of a human, but moved very mechanically. Their bodies were nothing more than what looked like a metal body suit. Their heads consisted of brass plating that looked like someone what carved eyes and mouth holes out of a clock face. They were ridiculous in appearance but could these things ever move! They jumped at the citizens of Angel Grove and began terrorizing everyone in sight. Purses were snatched, though nothing was taken from them. Men and women alike suffered the wrath of these robots, being pounded to near unconsciousness with metallic fists.

The sounds of bones breaking mixed with the terrorized screams and utter chaos ensued in a mere matter of seconds. Shop windows were broken and their goods damaged. Kenny was so shocked that he stood rooted to the spot, unable to comprehend what had just unfolded in the last few moments. Did these things have anything to do with the attack on the pizza parlor? What did they want with Angel Grove? Did Rita and Zedd order this? He knew there was something off about those two. Was Adam alright?

And that was when the blood began spilling, snapping Kenny from his thoughts. They ran in little streams down the pavement and into the sewer drains. Broken bodies of Angel Grove citizens were scattered on the street, some dead, some unconscious, or in the process of bleeding to death. The high pitched shriek of highly concentrated laser beams filled their air. Kenny whipped around and caught sight of the robots wielding guns. They were about the size of regular handguns, only their shape was very fishlike and gold in appearance. A bright red beam skimmed by his head, forcing Kenny to duck for protection, covering his own head.

His unintended outcry caught the attention of a nearby robot as it turned its clock-like head to face him. Kenny looked at the thing and back off, trying to find a means of escape. But the creatures were everywhere, each one having already turned to his direction and began to circle him, like a pack of lions cornering an antelope. What made him so special? Why did it take the entire troop to take him down when they had each slaughtered their own share of civilians without helping each other? Something didn't seem right.

That was the last comprehensible thought that crossed Kenny's mind before his entire body froze, and the world turned black.

**XXXXX**

Adam knew that activating his Zeo morpher would turn him into his alter ego – the Green Zeo Ranger. And he knew that doing so would make his presence known, enveloping him in a not so conspicuous aura of radiant green light. His cover would be blown. He wished for the millionth time that Billy, the team's technical support would develop the technology for a more silent, less flashy method of transformation. But for now, the traditional method of morphing had to do. Besides, Adam figured he'd be more equipped to handle Gasket and Archerina as the green ranger, not little pinner-boy Adam Park.

"Zeo Ranger Four," he cried out proudly, "Green!" Jamming his fists together, he produced the same blinding green light that always shone when he morphed, as it quickly enveloped his whole body. The force of the transformation lifted him gracefully to his feet, blowing apart the dining table he hid under into a cloud of smoke, effectively catching Gasket and Archerina's attentions.

"It seems somebody's looking for a fight," Gasket said, sizing up the Green Zeo Ranger with an unimpressed look on his face – well, the best look an android was capable of producing.

Archerina wasn't as slow to respond. A laser arrow magically appeared in her metallic hand, while her crossbow simultaneously materialized in her other. She expertly drew the string and placed the blunt end of the arrow against it and released, all in a matter of a split second. But instead of firing just a singular beam upon launch, the arrow split into three parts, each one hitting the Green Zeo Ranger with a force so magnificent, he was lifted of his feet and thrown into the burnt cement wall, effectively crashing through, revealing the thick wire frame of the wall underneath. Some of the wires snapped, ripping through the Green Zeo Ranger's costume as he sailed through the wall, tearing through the spandex material and into his skin.

"Good shooting," Gasket commented, nodding with an impressed frown.

Realizing that he couldn't handle the two of them by himself, even as the Green Zeo Ranger, Adam called into his communicator, a mini microphone built into a watch strap that he wore around his left wrist.

"Guys! I need your help. I'm at Luigi's Pizza. Get over here now!"

**XXXXX**

"Come on, Jase," a tall, lanky teen called, "show me what you've got." The teen was dressed in a red wife beater, revealing well developed shoulders and lean arms. A large blue pad was strapped to his palm, holding it about two feet from his face. He cocked his head back for a second, flinging the long brown strands of hair away from his eyes. He stood with his legs wide apart, bent slightly at the knees for balance.

"Hah!" Jason cried out in mock laughter. "How do you expect to fight properly with that long girly hair in your face, Tommy? I'd be afraid to hit such a pretty sight."

Tommy shot Jason a frown. "Enough with the hair jokes, man," he said, half seriously. "We're not fighting – just sparring."

Jason shook his head at his friend. Tommy served as the leader of the Power Rangers – and it was understandably obvious. He had the charisma, the drive, and the skills to back up the daunting role. Tommy never backed down in the face of danger. And with the rest of the Power Ranger team to back him up, he didn't necessarily have to, leading to almost certain victory of whatever monsters the Machine Empire decided to send their way.

But Jason wasn't sure Tommy knew that it was because of the team effort that they were always so successful in their missions. The two of them were best friends, almost like rivals having similar personality traits except one – cockiness – that Tommy seemed to have a slight aura of. Jason would jab jokes his way once in awhile to coax him to step down from his pedestal but Tommy more often than not, never got the hint. And this was just another one of those times.

And it wasn't like anyone else on the team seemed to see things from Jason's point of view. Katherine Hillard, the pretty Australian immigrant girl who now served on the team as the Pink Zeo Ranger would always scream for Tommy whenever she was in danger on the battlefield. It was never "Jason!" or "Adam!" or "Rocky!" – the other male members of the group. It was always the same God-awful high pitched pathetic cry, "_Tommy!_"

It wasn't that Jason disliked Katherine at all. In fact, it was quite the opposite. She was a sweet girl, but a powerful one at that, her true abilities as a person and a Power Ranger obscured by a thick mask of modesty. And her foreign Australian accent made her even more attractive to the boys. The long flowing blonde hair helped too. But his only beef with her was that she didn't do much to curb Tommy's ego.

Jason launched a powerful turning kick into the pad, knocking Tommy's hand sideways, catching the young man by surprise.

"Woah, watch out, buddy!" Tommy gasped out. "What are you, trying to rip my arm off or something?"

Jason just grinned. "Didn't mean to break your nail."

"Guys, I need your help! I'm at Luigi's Pizza! Get over here, now!" Adam's voice, laced with a little of static and explosions in the background sounded through both of their communicators. Jason and Tommy reflexively hid their left wrists behind their backs. They exchanged worried glances.

"What the hell is going on this time?" Jason asked quietly. "Adam knows better than to engage the Machine Empire's troops by himself."

"We're not doing anything just standing here," Tommy replied. "Let's go."

**XXXXX**

_"Do you know that when you glance my way, I feel something inside, I cannot stay …"_ A beautifully clear, crystal voice sang softly, yet powerfully. "That sounds corny," the same voice followed. Tanya Sloan seized a poor quality pencil off its place on the desk, turned it upside down, and erased away the lyrics violently. As she rubbed, her elbows collided violently on the acoustic guitar that lay in her lap, producing a hollow thumping sound, but she didn't care. It was a high quality Yamaha guitar, made to withstand anything.

At last, the dreadful lyrics had been erased and she now sat facing a blank, though slightly smudged sheet of paper. Tanya forced new lyrics out of her mind, unconsciously taking a curly lock of jet black hair from her head, twisting it around her finger. It was a habit of hers, performed during times of utter artistic or academic confusion. She brought the eraser of her pencil to her mouth and began to chew – another bad habit. But this one was inherited from Adam, only she didn't seem to mind the bitter taste of the powder coating the eraser.

"That's right," she told herself, "think of Adam. The right words will come." So she thought of Adam, her unofficial boyfriend, and immediately felt warmth radiate through her chest. It was a good sensation, and she could just feel her eyes glazing over, knowing that he felt the same way about her. But still, no words came.

"Ah, screw it," she said, ripped the pencil from her mouth, throwing it back down onto the table. "I'll finish up the song later."

She stood up from the wooden stool she had been hunched on until then and walked slowly over to the mirror. Tanya grabbed the dark red lipstick on her dresser and twisted the bottom so that just the tip of the pigmented stick protruded from the base, and applied the color sparingly onto her full lips – an attractive African trait.

Alongside music, Tanya was also passionate about her heritage. She wasn't an African American, but an actual African, born and bred in the actual continent – until a few months ago when she accepted the role as the Yellow Zeo Ranger. It had been a quick decision, and it seemed right at the time. The local animal herds that lived around her village were mysteriously dying off – whether from disease or starvation, she didn't know. For the past few months prior to her life altering decision to become a Power Ranger, Tanya remembered having nothing but beats and potatoes cooked together to form an unholy sludge that was supposedly nutritious. It tasted like barf, and that was all she cared about. What she really looked forward to at least once a week was the slabs of antelope that her father and the other village boys would bring home after the monthly hunt. The animals were usually big enough to last them a few weeks before the men would go out and hunt again.

But when the animals started dying off, she would face the horrible nutritious sludge day after day until she could no longer take it. And that was when the mysterious girl showed up in her village, claiming to be in search of a fragment of the mysterious "Zeo Crystal." At the time, Tanya had no idea what she was referring to, but knew it now as the crystal that gave her the power to transform into a Power Ranger. The mysterious stranger that showed up turned out to be Aisha Campbell, her predecessor to the Yellow Ranger powers. She was well educated in medicinal biology and offered to stay in Tanya's village to help find a cure for the animals – a noble decision in need.

In returning the favor for Aisha's overwhelming kindness, Tanya decided to take her place on the team as the Yellow Ranger, thus inheriting her powers. How Aisha was doing back home in Tanya's village, she had no idea. But she remained faithful to her abilities.

"Go, go, Power Rangers," the little electronic communicator beeped.

"Shit!" Tanya cursed, throwing her pencil back down on the table, launching herself off her seat and into the messiness that was her basement studio. The thing beeped again. "Damn, where is it?!" she cried to herself. She tore into her backpack, lying at the foot of the ceiling-high bookshelf searching every pocket like a hungry wolf for a hiding rabbit, and pulled out the communicator from a side pocket.

"Tanya, here," she gasped in relief. There were no words on the other end, just some static, screams, and one giant explosion.


	5. Interlude: Missing

The battlefield was nothing but a choking smoke. Tanya cleared the air in front of her, waving her hand around, but it had done nothing to improve the visibility. She cupped her hands around her nose and mouth, calling into the cloud of smoke.

"Adam!" she screamed. "Where are you?"

There was no reply, save for the booms of distant explosions and her own coughs. The dust was getting into her airways, and Tanya realized that the protective helmets of their Power Ranger costumes could filter dust out, maximizing oxygen intake. But what was that Zordon had said about not escalating the level of battle unless forced to?

"Fuck that," Tanya spat out loud. "My boyfriend's in trouble and I can't breathe. Zeo Ranger Two, Yellow!" A yellowish gold light of electricity surround Tanya's body, solidifying just over her skin to form a tight form fitting spandex suit that was far more durable than it looked. It was this battle suit that had protected her from gunshot wounds, whether they were from bullets or laser beams, powerful punches and kicks from enemies, and various other bumps and bruises she might have otherwise suffered in the heat of battle.

The visor on her battle helmet consisted of two parallel horizontal strips that stretched the length of both her eyes. From them, the helmet's heat sensors pierced the cloud of smoke, and immediately, the infrared images of flames showed up on her visor. Her eyes scanned the surrounding area for human bodies, though he was really looking for Adam. The ground was littered with dead and dying bodies, each one spilling out whatever amounts of blood they once held. They were all cooling, not one of them had a beating heart, making her own sink at the sorry sight.

Could King Mondo have done this? There was nobody else to blame at this point. And yes, the Machine Empire king was usually responsible lately for the barrage of attacks against the citizens of Angel grove. But never before had Tanya seen such devastation caused by Mondo's forces.

The buildings that flanked both sides of the street – she had only just been able to make it out from the infrared's abilities – were cracked, damaged and burning. Large hunks of debris lay scattered on the road. Cars had been overturned with people still in them. And now their passengers lay burning in the wreckage. It was hard to believe that anyone could've survived this onslaught, but Tanya knew that Adam survived. He was a Power Ranger for goodness sake. If anyone could survive …

"ADAM!" she suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs. Tanya's brains told her one things but her heart told her another. What would she do if Adam was dead? Her heart leapt into her throat. She began running blindly through the smog, looking for his familiar form, yet hoping that she wouldn't see his corpse lying here in all of it.

"Tanya, is that you?" someone had called out. She recognized the voice, but it wasn't Adam.

"Oh God, Tommy, please help!" she called out, sinking to her knees. Tanya had no confirmation that Adam was dead yet, no reason to believe it, yet the concept weakened her – with or without the protection of her Power Ranger uniform.

"Stay right there!" Tommy's authoritative voice called out. "We'll be right with you."

Tanya heard the footsteps. She tried looking around for any approaching forms, but only saw the blurred concoction of red, yellow, blue and green lights. The infrared was still activated and the tears that had welled up in her eyes weren't letting her make any sense of their shape.

Tanya felt a warm hand touch her shoulder through the suit. "What happened?" Jason asked. He had followed Tommy here, apparently. They too had transformed into their Power Ranger uniforms, most likely before their battle had even begun - a practice made common now since Mondo's forces were far more powerful than Zedd and Rita's had ever been. "Did you find Adam? Is he alright?"

But she was too overwhelmed with emotion for her to speak properly. Tanya just shook her head and sobbed.

"He's …" Tommy suggested, but Tanya shook her head again.

"I just don't know!" she sobbed.

"Pull yourself together, girl," Jason said, taking her by the shoulders. "You haven't seen him yet, have you?"

"No."

"Good, so now isn't the time to get all caught up in the possibilities. We'll pull ourselves together, regroup at the Power Chamber, and figure out what to do next." Jason spoke to Tanya with a strong, comforting tone. She knew that he was once the leader of the Power Rangers, though she wasn't around yet to witness it first hand. But now, after the way he handled her when her emotions had gone spastic, she could still see that he retained some of that leadership, even though Tommy had been the official leader for the past two years. From that moment on, Tanya knew she could trust Jason's abilities to head the team. She had his permission to challenge Tommy for the sake of the team, should the need ever arise.

**XXXXX**

Adam had found Kenny lying at the base of a tree, a few blocks down the street from the pizza parlor. Everything within a one block radius of the joint had been completely destroyed – leveled. Everyone had simply been beaten to death. Adam was thankful that he'd sent Kenny away earlier, giving him to fight off the attacking Cogs sent by Mondo. But he wasn't sure how Kenny had faired.

His relief was immense when he saw Kenny lying there, completely unconscious. Adam was still dressed in the armor of the Green Zeo Ranger, so even had Kenny been awake, there was no way his new friend would recognize the teen behind the suit. Adam placed his hands by the sides of Kenny's head, pressing gently, feeling for broken bones. He looked at his skin, searching for any scratches or bruising. Aside from the bruising, he looked alright, except for the trail of blood that ran down the center of his face. Adam moved his hands over Kenny's skull, feeling skin damage and big bump just above the hairline. But other than that, he seemed okay. But there was no way Adam could tell for certain right now. He would have to take Kenny back to the Power Chamber to be sure. And that would mean taking a civilian into Power Ranger headquarters. What would Zordon say about that? Surely Kenny would be allowed in, if it saved his life. But … what if it risked revealing the identity of the Power Rangers? It couldn't! They would just have to keep their helmets on.

Adam bent down to pick up Kenny and winced in pain. He'd forgotten that he sustained injuries in the battle with Gasket and Archerina. The two of them were quite the pair. Young, in love, and hell of a pair of fighters. He'd fought his best against the both of them at once, but in the end, they had proved to be too much for him to handle alone. That was when he pulled back into the rising smoke, keeping his fingers crossed that they wouldn't be able to see him, like they'd missed him back at the parlor. Fortunately for him, they were too absorbed into their egos, bragging about how easily they could bring a single Power Ranger down to his knees, when Adam was able to slip away quietly. Adam had paged his fellow Power Rangers to assist in the battle, but found that he was being overpowered far more quickly than he thought he would. Retreat seemed like the only answer.

He'd been walking for a few minutes, still cloaked in his suit before he found Kenny. And he now realized he was in no shape to bring the kid anywhere. The only option was to wait for the other rangers to arrive. But had they already? There was no way to tell, seeing as how he'd fled the scene before confirming whether or not his teammates had arrived. Adam was in no shape to walk back the way he came. He wasn't sure if Gasket and Archerina still haunted the area. And if they did, he was in no shape to tackle to both of them. For the second time that day, Adam brought his communicator to his lips, found a place beside Kenny to sit, and made the call for help.

**XXXXX**

****

The Power Chamber was a vast domed hall made of a metallic support structure covered with stone. It was like the architectural aspects of the past had combined with the technology of the present, melding to each other to form superior columns of stone around the perimeter, centered around a central wall, rounded in structure. Within the central wall were six insets, each one sleekly covered by a clear, thick piece of glass. Within these insets, standing proudly in various poses were the costumes of the previous Power Ranger incarnations, the only remaining piece of dignity they had, after being ruthlessly destroyed in a final battle with Rita and Lord Zedd about one year ago.

The perimeter pillars supported the arched roof of the Power Chamber, but were also connected by a thick wall made of the same kind of pale stone, sporting all sorts of technologically advanced monitors, computer consoles, electric conductors, surgery tables, all packed conveniently into a room the size of a small church.

Tanya paced around back and forth with her arms folded tightly under her breasts. She hung her head down, not looking up at the other Power Rangers who looked with worried expressions at her. The blonde, beautiful Katherine Hillard hugged Tommy with what seemed like remorse for Adam. Then again, any reason was an excuse to hang onto Tommy for her.

Jason was leaning against one of the numerous computer consoles, one brawny arm lying across his chest, the other supporting his chin, as if he was in deep thought. Silence filled the air of the Power Chamber. Even Zordon, the giant, warped head floating in its enormous tube was silent, the first in as long as any of the Rangers could remember.

They had tried contacting Adam. Something must've happened to his wrist communicator because he was not answering it. It was Tanya's idea to search the area where Adam had made his initial call from, but there were so many bodies lying around that they posed an immediate health risk to the city and needed to be removed promptly and properly by the authorities. There was no room for the Power Rangers to look for their fallen comrade.

"If Adam's hurt, someone might have discovered who he is," Rocky said, Adam's best friend since the pair of them had moved in from neighboring city, Stone Canyon, together.

Tanya looked at him and rolled her eyes. "That's the least of our worries at this point!" she said. Tanya liked Rocky, she really did. The Spanish kid had was bright, playful, cheerful and funny. But he knew when to get down to business. She also knew that Aisha, her predecessor on the Power Rangers force, along with Adam, were tight with Rocky. But sometimes, the guy could have the most warped priorities. "How are we going to tell his parents that Adam died protecting the Earth as a Power Ranger!"

Noticing Tanya's frustration, Rocky knew it was better to let her vent her frustrations than push anymore of her buttons. But then, how selfish was she being by acting like she was the only one that cared for Adam's well being? After all, she'd just started dating Adam only recently, while Rocky had been there by his side since they were kids! Rocky wanted to say something, but forced himself to keep his mouth shut, if he didn't want to end up apologizing to Tanya later.

"Guys … your … something's … teleport …"

"That's Adam!" Tanya cried, racing towards the viewing globe. The viewing globe was a globe constructed of some enchanted crystal, hooked up with the latest technology to make it an orb that projected real life footage from within its arched confines. This allowed the Rangers to monitor the activities on the surface of Earth. This time, it was a welcome sight.

It was Adam sitting at the base of the tree. His helmet was off, but there was nobody in the immediate surroundings, at least none that anyone could see. The five Power Rangers gathered around the viewing globe, barely leaving room for each other to get a proper view. Adam's black hair hung down his face, barely revealing his eyes as he called desperately into the communicator. Smudges of dirt and crusted blood ran along his cheeks and forehead, coated in a fine layer of sweat. A younger boy lay against Adam, the back of his head resting against his shoulder. The boy was completely knocked out cold with a trail of blood running down the middle of his face, blood that looked like it was near drying. The wound was far from fresh, the Rangers could tell. How long had he been without treatment?

"Trace the signal," Rocky ordered to nobody in particular, but the Power Chamber's technician, Mr. Billy Cranston got right on the job, dashing to what looked like a random console and began punching its numerous buttons.

"Relax, Adam," Billy said, "we'll get you and your friend here in no time."

Meanwhile the others stayed glued to the viewing globe, continuing their moment of silenced shock.


End file.
